Hydrostrike speed bag platform

ABSTRACT

A finable striking bag support includes a generally planar platform. Brackets mount the platform in a generally horizontal plane to a wall or vertical surface. The platform has a smooth lower surface when mounted on the support surface and defining circular predetermined area. A swivel joint on the lower surface is generally centrally located within the predetermined area. The swivel joint is attached to a striking or speed bag for swiveling movements between a generally vertical position when the bag is at rest and for impacting against the smooth surface when struck by swiveling to positions generally normal to the rest position. The platform is molded of a plastic material and is formed on the upper surface with a system of concentric channels substantially covering the entire predetermined area, the channels being in fluid flow communication with each other. An inlet is provided on the upper surface for enabling a fluid medium, such as water, to be inputted into the channels to provide ballast to the hollow platform and make it suitable for use with the striking or speed bag.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention generally relates to supports for striking or speed bags and, more specifically to a finable striking bag support that can be filled with water or other ballot material.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Striking bags or speed bags have been on the boxing scene for a long time. Such bags, usually air filled are suspended from a horizontal platform and driven against platform by the blows of the user. While such devices have more traditionally been associated with the training of the professional boxers, to train the eye, the judgment and the striking muscles, they have gained acceptance for use by the consuming public.

The platforms used for speed bags of this type are usually flat and solid to provide sufficient mass so that the platform itself does not vibrate or minimally vibrates when the speed bag hits the platform with substantial force. The purpose of the platform is to dissipate some of the force or energy in the bag and to return the bag so that a user can repeatedly strike the bag at great force and rapid speed. However, the platform also needs to be stable and not unduly vibrate since this could dissipate more energy and unnecessarily slow down the speed ball. Additionally, responsive movements of the platform to the speed bag can create excessive noise and instability.

Another consideration with connection with speed ball or striking ball platforms, particularly the ones marketed to the consumer, is the weight of the platform during shipment and storage. While a solid wood platform provides the desired properties and characteristics, this requires that the platform be made of a dense material and serves as reliable ballast for the speed ball. However, in effort to reduce the cost of such platforms and the cost of shipping or transporting the platforms form the manufacture to the user, it is preferred that such platforms be initially lower in weight but whose mass can be selectively increased to provide the ballast characteristics characterized with wood platforms. U.S. Pat. No. 5,507,484 to van Nimwegen et al. discloses a basketball backboard. The backboard is molded from a plastic material and is provided with a smooth front surface for contact with a basketball, while the rear of the backboard is provided with a plurality of indentations. The patent teaches that the front and back walls together define an interior volume that can be filled with air, polyethylene foam or other fill material. The backboard is described as having a plurality of ribs arranged in a complex network to provide consistent re-bounce in order to provide sufficient mass to be useful for re-bounding of basketballs. However, it is contemplated that the fill material be injected into the hollow form during the blow molding process and it appears that there is no inlet nipple or inlet valve for adding a fill material after the item has been manufactured and shipped to the user.

In U.S. Pat. No. 2,643,124 to Melone a fellable backboard for punching bags is disclosed. However, this patent merely discloses a saucer-like shell that is suspended as shown. As evident from FIG. 2 of this patent, the water level does not reach the top of the enclosure so that strikes by the speed bag can create shock waves and turbulent movements of the water that could adversely affect subsequent strikes by the speed ball, not to mention added noise and potential instability as the level of the water may change in time.

U.S. Pat. No. 1,575,329 to Golomb discloses a platform that appears to be molded. It is generally planar and has no compartment for fill material such as water. knuckles.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide a finable striking bag support that does not have disadvantages of prior art or known platforms.

It is another object of the invention to provide a striking bag support that is simple in construction and economical to manufacture.

It is still another object of the invention to provide a finable striking bag support as in the previous objects that is blow molded from a plastic material to render it in light and weight and low in cost from manufacturing and shipment but can be filled with water or other ballast material.

It is yet another object of the invention to provide a fillable striking bag support of the type of the discussion as in the previous object that simulates the characteristics or properties they would not fillable striking bag support.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a fillable striking bag support as in the previous objects that is provided with a system of channels for receiving water or other ballast material but eliminates many of the disadvantages of the light weight plastic platforms by providing the requisite mass once filled and eliminates vibrations due to a turbulence, shock waves or excessive flow of liquid within the platform.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Those skilled in the art will appreciate the improvements and advantages that derive from the present invention upon reading the following detailed description, claims, and drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a fillable striking bag support in accordance with the present invention, shown as to be mounted on a vertical support surface and having a speed or striking ball attached thereto, indicating the lower smooth surface of such a platform;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view similar to FIG. 1, but viewing the upper surface of platform as opposed to the lower surface visible in FIG. 1 and showing the system of channels for receiving water or other ballast material;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the platform viewed from the top or upper surface thereof to show additional details of the channels that form the system of channels for providing ballast to the platform during use;

FIG. 4 is enlarged cross sectional view of the platform shown in FIG. 3, taken a long line 4-4.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring now specifically to the Figures in which identical or similar parts would be designated by the same reference numerals throughout, and first referring to FIG. 1, a striking bag support in accordance with the present invention is generally designated by the reference numeral 10.

The striking bag support 10 includes a generally planar platform 12 which, in the embodiment illustrated, is circular and provided with lower wall 12 a with a smooth lower surface 12 b. The platform 12 is, in the present preferred embodiment, blow molded from high density polyethylene that (HDPE) to provide a hollow interior compartment or space as be more fully described in connection with FIGS. 2-4. The size of the platform 12 and the lower surface area 12 b are selected to accommodate a striking bag or speed bag 40, as is well known to these skilled in the art.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the platform 12 is mounted in a generally horizontal plane in any conventional manner. Thus, for example, the platform 12 may be secured to a wall or other vertical surface by means of a pair vertical supports 14, shown in the form of L-shaped angle irons or bars 14. A pair of spaced brackets 16 are each shown to have a U-shape with an upper portion 16 a, a lower portion 16 b and a substantially vertically connecting portion 16 c, these portions being integrally formed and suitably attached to the vertical supports in any conventional manner. Referring to FIG. 1, the angle irons 14 have a first flat portion 14 a in a perpendicular or normal portion 14 b. Holes 14 c are provided in the flat portion 14 a for suitable fasteners for attaching the angle irons to a wall. Holes are also provided on the flat portions 14 b for fasteners 18 that connect the support bracket 16 to the angle irons 14. In assembling the striking bag support, fasteners 20 of any suitable type are used to attach the lower portions 16 b to the platform 12 as be more fully described. Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, an important feature of the present invention is the provision of a system of channels in an upper wall 12 c of the platform as exhibited by the upper surface 12 d, the system of channels substantially covering the entire upper surface of the platform shown.

Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, suitable posts 32 are provided that extend the full thickness of the platform 12 and provided with apertures 32′ that may have canvassing at the ends for fasteners. Clearly, the posts need to be molded or made in such a way that they continue to seal the water filled compartment or channels even though the fasteners 20 extend through the posts 32.

In the preferred embodiment, therefore, the total weight or mass of the platform almost doubles from approximately 4 lb empty to approximately 11 lb full. This makes the platform and striking bag support more commercially valuable for consumers who normally prefer not to incur the higher costs of material, shipping, etc.

The platform defines a central region 22 (FIG. 4) that defines an axis A, the central region 22 having a diameter 22 a with holes or apertures 22 b formed in the lower wall. As best shown in FIG. 3, the system of channels is generally designated by the reference numerals 24 a-24 g that includes full communication with each other.

In the presently preferred embodiment, the system of channels 24 is in a form of a plurality of concentric channels 24 a-24 g. As best shown in FIG. 3, the channels are interrupted at least one circumferential portion of each channel Adjacent channels are adjoined by at least one radio channel 26 a-26 f to provide fluid flow communication between the adjacent channels so that water filled through an inlet 28 is allowed to flow through all of the interconnected channels to fill all channels with water or other ballast material. The concentric channels centered about the axis A and, as best shown in FIG. 3, the concentric channels are substantially uniformly spaced from each other. However, it is not a critical limitation and the spacing between the adjacent channels may vary.

A feature of the invention is that the interrupted circumferential portion, where channels predetermined in diameter are interrupted to provide a plurality of two or more circular arcs are preferably angularly offset from each other. The formation of the separate channels and staggered points of interruption form in effect a maze that minimizes the propagation of shock waves or turbulence in the water added to the platform trough the inlet 28 to minimize vibrations when the speed bag impacts the platform at great speed and great force.

In order to strengthen the wall of the central region 22, a metallic or other strong rigid fastener 34 may be placed within the recess 22 so that any forces applied to this wall portion of the platform is better distributed to minimize the risk of damage to the wall.

A conventional swivel both joined at the universal joint 36 is mounted on a lower surface 12 b such universal joint or swivel joint are well known in the art and universally used with such speed bags. The ball joint 36 includes a socket 36 a that supports a ball 36 b from which a stamp 36 c depends attached to a suitable link 38 that can be attach to a loop 40′ of the speed bag 40.

Specific dimensions of the channels and the radial spacing between adjacent channels are not critical, the radial spacing between the channels and the embodiment shown is substantially equal to the radial width of the channels. The more channels are provided, the less the stability and resulting vibrations. However, excessively increasing a number of channels increases the cost of molding and materials and the price of the manufactured item.

The channels, in addition to allowing additional mass and ballast to be added to the hollow platform also helps to provide the platform with rigidity.

By way of comparison, a drum made from particle board weighs approximately 7.25 lb. However, the blow molded platform, when empty, weighs only 4 lb but retains the total weight of approximately 10.8 lb it is filled with water. The added weight, as indicated, provides ballast and stability, making the speed bag bounce more responsively since a moving platform absorbs more energy from the impacting or striking speed ball.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention. 

1. A fillable striking bag support comprising a generally planar platform; mounting means for mounting said platform in a generally horizontal plane, said platform having a smooth lower surface when mounted on a support surface and defining a predetermined area; a swivel joint on said lower surface generally centrally located within said predetermined area, said swivel joint including means for attaching a striking or speed bag for swiveling movements between a generally vertical position when the bag is at rest and for impacting against said smooth surface when struck by swiveling to positions generally normal to said rest position; said platform being formed on an upper surface with a system of channels substantially covering said predetermined area, said system of channels being in fluid flow communication with each other; and inlet means on said upper surface for enabling a fluid medium to be inputted into said system of channels.
 2. A fillable striking bag support as defined in claim 1, wherein said platform is molded from a plastic material.
 3. A fillable striking bag support as defined in claim 2, wherein said platform is blow molded from high density polyethylene.
 4. A fillable striking bag support as defined in claim 1, wherein said predetermined area is circular.
 5. A fillable striking bag support as defined in claim 1, wherein said system of channels is in the form a plurality of concentric channels.
 6. A fillable striking bag support as defined in claim 5, wherein said concentric circles are interrupted in at least one circumferential portion.
 7. A fillable striking bag support as defined in claim 5, wherein adjacent channels are joined by at lest one radial channel to provide fluid flow communication between said channels whereby filling water through said inlet means allows water to fill all said channels.
 8. A fillable striking bag support as defined in claim 4, wherein said circular area defines a vertical axis and said swivel joint is mounted along said axis.
 9. A fillable striking bag support as defined in claim 8, wherein said system of channels comprise a plurality of concentric channels centered about said axis.
 10. A fillable striking bag support as defined in claim 9, wherein said concentric channels are interrupted in at least one circumferential portion.
 11. A fillable striking bag support as defined in claim 9, wherein said concentric channels are uniformly spaced from each other.
 12. A fillable striking bag support as defined in claim 10, wherein interrupted circumferential portions in adjacent channels are angularly offset from each other to minimize the movement of shock waves or turbulence in water filling said channels and thereby minimize vibration when a speed bag strikes said platform.
 13. A fillable striking bag support as defined in claim 11, wherein the radial spacing between said channels is substantially equal to the radial width of said channels.
 14. A fillable striking bag support as defined in claim 9, wherein at least five concentric channels are provided.
 15. A fillable striking bag support as defined in claim 14, wherein seven concentric channels are provided.
 16. A fillable striking bag support as defined in claim 1, wherein said monitoring means comprises a system of brackets attached to said platform, a plurality of vertical supports and means for attaching said brackets to said vertical supports.
 17. A fillable striking bag support as defined in claim 1, wherein said inlet means comprises an opening in at least one of said channels and a closure cap removable from said opening to fill or empty said channels of water or other ballast material. 